#Firecracker-24 Value?
8 messages in this thread
How much is a used Firecracker-24 board worth?
-J
Jay,
FYI, I paid $400 about 1.5 years ago for a used 2Meg FC24. Given the
limited software support it currently receives compared to other
boards, I feel $250 would be the maximum reasonable amount to ask
for.
Well, I'm buying and I was going to offer less than that, so it
sounds like I'm in the right ball park. Did the FC24 come with less
than 2 meg?
I am going to try and dig up a review of the board in one of my back
issues.
-J
Jay,
As for software support, here's a partial list. (One person can't be expected
to own every piece of software, so others should feel free to jump in a\with
additional examples of Firecracker24-friendly software)
The best use of my FC24 is with Imagine. You can render, or do quickrenders,
directly to the card — and because of the FC24's genlock-like ability to
overlay the Amiga output on top of the 24-bit image, you can see the image
being rendered. This makes it easy to see what's wrong with your object and
abort the quickrender before the whole image is done. This makes working with
Imagine a joy. (Imagine turns the FC24 display on and off as needed, too, so
the FC24 doesn't interfere with normal editing)
The second program I own which makes good use of the FC24 is Imagemaster R/T;
it displays directly to the FC24, and makes good use of the overlaying
capability to draw menus and selection areas on the Amiga layer, making for
quick feedback when selecting regions. In this case, however, FC24 support
doesn't rate as high, since Imagemaster R/T will also do the same on an
Opalvision board, or on an AGA or ECS Amiga. (Come to think of it, Imagine also
comes in an Opalvision version, but I don't know if 2.9 and 3.0 will offer the
same Opalvision support)
In the end, I would recommend buying that used FC24 if you don't have much
money, and/or you do tons of Imagine work. This was true for me.
Blaq!
Vista Pro will also render directly to the FC24 which is kinda neat.
-J
Blaq
I did not know that FC24 had a genlock. If it doe's than that explains
why all this time I thought it was over priced I thought it was just a 24
bit
board. So I bought Opalvision instead works fine with Imagine 2.9 and
it's softwere is realy good. But I'm still waiting to see the rest of the
boards and it is starting to scare me that thay arn't out yet. I made
this mistake only once before with SciTech Genlock, I bought it when it
first came out and three months later they were out of business. Now it
doe's not work so it sits here a $700. monitor stand. I took the chance
one more time with OV only because it works with Imagine and if the other
boards don't come out It will work with Digital Creations Genlock. The
next release of Vistapro is suppose to have direct support for
OpalVision.
The only reason I don't like and will not buy the Video toaster is that it
doe's not support third party softwere like Imagine or vistapro, and in
my book that makes New-tek pretty Lame! You can't use Imagine you must
use lightwave and you can't use lightwave without the hardwere, Not like
I would! Well not as long as Impolse is still pumping out new updates
that to me blow Lightwave away! So Gang at Impolse keep up the great
work. You have few more days before I'm through painting my house and I
will be ready to (Rock & Render). Well I suppose this will most likly
raise some hairs talking bad about the toaster, But thats good I would
like to hear other peoples appion. Ok it's that or I will never get my
house finished. LATER!
NightStalker
Ross,
PMFJI, but I know of many programs that interact with the Toaster
Switcher, AdPro coming to mind immediately. I see no reason why a
third-party application couldn't implement a method (ARexx, probably) to
send its output to the switcher. True, your application interface remains
on its Amiga screen, but it's the ouput that's ultimately important and
worth seeing with the most clarity.
And, for doing things like particle animation (which, I know, Imagine
implements and LW lacks) there are atleast three programs I can think of
that work directly with the LW interface (or, atleast its scene files).
I would love for apps like VistaPro to have an option for rendering to the
Switcher, or saving FrameStores. Imagine, too. As a LW user, I look at
Imagine as a worthy challenger that can only help LW get better. There are
plusses and minuses on both sides.
BTW, I didn't think you were "talking bad" (my hairs have relaxed), though
I think there is a bigger picture involved :^)
Stephen Bailey
Sawyer & Bailey Film and Video CIS # 72773,2451
I don't believe that the FC24 has a genlock.
-J